Rates & sources
Compound growth assumes reinvested returns and no platform fees. Past performance is not a guide to future returns.
Source: FCA — Investment basics — figures refreshed at the start of each tax year.
When to use this calculator
- Before choosing between saving, investing, or increasing your monthly contribution.
- When you want to compare best-case, base-case, and cautious return assumptions.
- When you need a quick projection before making a longer-term portfolio decision.
- When you are deciding how many more years of contributions are needed to reach a specific target balance.
- When you want to see whether starting earlier versus contributing more each month produces a bigger outcome.
A realistic Ireland planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Annual Gross Salary (€)
€45,000
Your Current Age
35
Target Retirement Age
35
Current Pension Value (€)
€1,400
After entering these figures, review projected pension pot, max personal contribution and tax relief together rather than in isolation — each metric tells a different part of the story. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted to see which variable has the biggest effect on all three outputs before you settle on a plan.
How to read your results
Projected Pension Pot
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Max Personal Contribution
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Tax Relief
Review this figure alongside your gross income so you can understand the true cost of deductions and plan around any thresholds before the tax year closes. If the figure looks higher than expected, check whether any pension or gift-aid contributions could reduce your taxable income.
Net Cost of Contribution
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Est. Annual Retirement Income (4%)
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Your Age-Based Limit
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
This calculator projects a pension fund at your chosen retirement age using Ireland's 2024 Revenue contribution rules. The age-based personal contribution limit (ranging from 15% to 40% of capped earnings of €115,000) is applied each year alongside your employer contribution to determine the total annual amount invested. The projected pot is calculated by compounding the starting balance and annual contributions at the growth rate you specify, applied at the end of each year. Tax relief is estimated at 40% for salaries above €42,000 and 20% for lower earners, approximating the marginal rate; the net cost figure shows what the maximum contribution effectively costs after relief. The 4% sustainable withdrawal rate shown is a widely used planning rule of thumb and is illustrative only.
This calculator does not model defined benefit schemes, variable employer matching rules, pension levy deductions, or the impact of investment charges (which can materially reduce real-world returns). The State Pension (Contributory) is excluded from projections and should be factored in separately. Revenue's earnings cap and age limits are confirmed for 2024 but may change in future Finance Acts. Projections are sensitive to the assumed growth rate — a 1% difference in long-run returns can significantly alter the final fund value over a multi-decade accumulation period. This tool is for illustrative planning purposes; consult a Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA) regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland before making contribution decisions.
Common mistakes
- !Assuming a constant return without checking a more conservative growth rate.
- !Forgetting to include ongoing contributions, fees, or tax wrappers where relevant.
- !Focusing only on the final balance instead of the path required to reach it.
- !Ignoring the drag of platform fees or fund charges, which can reduce the real compounded return significantly over ten or more years.
- !Comparing ISA and general investment account projections without adjusting for the tax treatment of interest, dividends, or capital gains.
What to do next
- Test a cautious, expected, and optimistic growth rate instead of relying on a single projection.
- Compare this result with related savings or retirement tools before committing more money.
- Use the linked guides to understand which assumptions matter most over longer periods.
- Consider running the same figures in an ISA and a general account scenario to see how the tax treatment changes the outcome over ten or more years.
- If the projected balance falls short of your target, use the tool to work backwards — increase the monthly contribution until the result meets your goal.
Frequently asked
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End-of-article next steps
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